The California Department of Transportation (known as ‘Caltrans’) is reportedly adding 150 more Rivian vans to its fleet, a month after acquiring 450 units.
The news was first published by Riviantrackr, who shared new images of several R1T pick-ups, branded with the fluorescent orange stripe and ‘Caltrans’ naming.
According to sources cited by the blog, “roughly 450 units have already been confirmed, with additional deliveries planned to surpass 600.”
In early September, images shared by user ‘Joules Burn’ on one of the brand’s main forums showed a R1T vehicle with the same branding, spotted at the West Sacramento Center.
In August, Reddit user ‘Gemmisa’ had also shared an image of several Rivian R1 vehicles being transported, where again the orange stripe could be seen.
Several users noted that it could be the indicator for Caltrans vehicles, as “they already have a bunch of [Chevrolet] Silverado EVs and [Ford] Lightnings around here, all white with that same orange stripe.”
The vehicles will be used for state operations and regional field work, as part of the Transportation Plan.
According to the Caltrans’ website, “through a combination of regulation compliance, state purchasing policies, and innovative demonstrations,” the authority has “implemented renewable diesel, battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles” in their fleet.
As of Friday, Caltrans has not issued any public statement regarding Rivian purchases, nor has the EV maker.
It is not, however, the first government-related agency to adopt vehicles of the EV maker onto its fleet.
In March, the Palo Alto Police Department (PD) announced its partnership with Rivian, as part of the ongoing efforts to integrate more environmentally friendly vehicles into their fleet.
The PD received its first patrol-ready Rivian R1S for testing last month. It was assigned to a patrol supervisor for 12-hour shifts.
By then, and according to CBS News, the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) Dignitary Protection Section had also purchased two Rivian vehicles.
The Dignitary Protection Section operates from LA and Sacramento and protects state constitutional officers, such as the Governor and the First Lady, among others.
Both CHP and the Caltrans operate in Californian highways. However, they are different agencies and do not relate to each other.
Earlier this year, California Governor Gavin Newsom was also seen using a Rivian R1S SUV as his official state vehicle, replacing his Chevrolet Suburban.
Rivian has its main office in Irvine, where it is headquartered, and a major engineering hub located in Palo Alto, its second home.
Palo Alto is also where its joint venture with Volkswagen, ‘RV Tech,’ is based.
